


Mistletoe

by tmtcltb



Series: Mistletoe Chronicles [6]
Category: The Last Ship (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28203594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmtcltb/pseuds/tmtcltb
Summary: Installment 5 of the Mistletoe Chronicles. Azima Kandi experiences Christmas aboard the Nathan James. Shortly after Season 4, canon.
Relationships: Azima Kandie/Wolf Taylor
Series: Mistletoe Chronicles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064906
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2
Collections: 2020 The Last Ship Holiday Fest!





	Mistletoe

Azima Kandie followed Carlton Burk into the mess, impressed by the change in décor. When Captain Slattery first decreed that the Nathan James would have an early Christmas celebration onboard before hitting Norfolk, Azima had been skeptical. Between the lack of food, absence of alcohol, and the strict rules on fraternization, any effort seemed doomed to failure. Somehow, however, Bacon had managed to locate not just one but two Christmas trees, approximately a thousand meters of garland, lights, ornaments, and what appeared to be bells from somewhere on the ship. More importantly, both Eric Miller and Danny Green perked up at the idea of getting out of sickbay for a couple of hours, even if they were simply moving to the mess, and that was reason enough for Azima to make an appearance. Having two members of the TAC team down for the count had been tough on morale, and Azima wasn't even counting Sasha, who was still struggling with the fallout from Fletcher's betrayal.

_The asshole_.

If he wasn't already dead, Azima would have been happy to take care of the problem herself.

Stepping around a table full of junior officers wearing hats decorated with reindeer and snowmen and playing a rambunctious game of poker, Azima made her way to the corner where Danny Green sat with his wife, next to one of the Christmas trees. Before this mission, Azima knew almost nothing about Kara Green, their current TAO, and she had occasionally wondered how a straight-laced, fuddy-duddy like Green managed to get a woman pregnant on a destroyer in the middle of a pandemic. Having seen Kara in action, Azima no longer wondered.

There was something so very irresistible about balls of steel, no matter the gender.

Two meters away, Azima stopped, eyes fixed on the wall above Kara's head. "Are you planning a surprise training exercise, Lieutenant Green?"

"Hadn't planned on it. Why? Do you want to avoid the party?" Green looked up, smiling at her in apparent confusion. Azima absently noted that the man looked significantly younger, and less feral, without the beard that he had been sporting for the most of their acquaintance.

Having watched Green pull the clueless act a few too many times in the field, Azima was not fooled. She narrowed her eyes. "There is a poisonous plant hanging over Commander Green's head. Is your goal to see if people notice?"

Danny and Kara exchanged a look, before Green leaned over and kissed his wife in a surprising display of public affection. Kara gazed at her husband for a moment, a smile playing across her lips, before shifting her hair away from the offensive plant and turning her focus to Azima. "Thank you for pointing that out, Sergeant Kandie."

Before Azima could figure out an appropriate response, Wolf and Carlton appeared carrying plates of food. Wolf was whistling. "Here we are. Your options are sushi, sushi, or more sushi."

"I pick..." Kara paused, as though considering her options when, in reality, their diet these days was ninety percent fresh fish. The little food they were able to load at Rota before their rushed departure was long since gone and Captain Slattery has surprised everyone by being rather knowledgeable about deep sea fishing. "Sushi."

As Carlton bent down to hand Kara the plate of fish, Danny started laughing. "Look up, Burk."

Carlton glanced up at the sprig of green that was now above his head, swearing. His gaze jumped from Azima to Kara and back. Kara crossed her arms across her chest. "Don't even think about it."

Azima looked at Wolf, confused by the scene before her, but he was chuckling.

"I don't know, Kara," Green teased, grinning. "You might just like it..."

Both Kara and Carlton grimaced and Carlton turned to Azima with a determined expression. Before she could demand to know what he was about, however, Wolf stepped forward and planted a kiss directly on Carlton's lips. Rearing back in shock, Carlton stared at the other man. "What the hell, Taylor? Gah!"

"Your face, Burk," Kara said, giggling. Actually giggling.

Azima frowned at the group. "Should I summon Doc Rios? It appears that you may be hallucinating, Taylor. And the Greens have been unusually amorous. I believe that some or all of you may have accidentally ingested the poisonous plant that is located above Burk's head."

"Poisonous plant?" Carlton turned to look at her, taking a step away from Wolf, his face still stunned.

Danny and Wolf were both laughing too hard to speak, but Kara took pity on Azima. "Mistletoe is a traditional Christmas decoration in the States, Kandie. If you get caught under it, you have to kiss someone. Usually not one of your teammates, by the way."

Azima turned her gaze to each person in turn, waiting for the punchline, but none was forthcoming. "So you deliberately hang a poisonous plant in a chamber where you will be eating food and then encourage people to kiss?"

"This species of mistletoe isn't poisonous except in very large quantities," Kara replied. "Bacon checked with Rios before using it to decorate."

While Azima trusted Doc Rios completely, she remained skeptical. Mistletoe was unaffected by the Red Rust, something that their prior experience indicated was accomplished only by the most poisonous of plants.

"The Greeks used to use mistletoe in healing and fertility rituals," Carlton added, adding further credence to Azima's suspicion that they were all being exposed to a hallucinogen.

Kara slid an arm through her husband's arm, resting her head on her shoulder. Danny responded by pressing a kiss against her hair, a glint in his eyes as he asked. "Did you say fertility rites?"

"Get a room already," Carlton grumbled before wandering off.

Azima turned to Wolf, raising an eyebrow. "So the purpose of this exercise is to determine whether your selected partner has sufficient survival skills to identify a poisonous plant and then assess them for an appropriate amount of physical compatibility?"

Backing her into the wall, Wolf grinned as he pointed up at another sprig of mistletoe. "What do you think, Kandie? Shall we test our physical compatibility?"

Azima considered her options, before looping her arm around Taylor's neck. Leaning forward, she ran her tongue along his lower lip, pulling it into her mouth for a moment before shoving him away. "I believe that I have enough information for the moment. Now it is time for a comparison study. I believe that Miller is also seated under mistletoe."

"Now, Kandie, don't terrorize the boy too much," Wolf replied, tone serious, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

Shooting him a dazzling smile, Azima turned in Miller's direction. Perhaps this party had potential after all.


End file.
